AUBURNDALE | The owner of an Auburndale septic tank business and her son, who were arrested in December for operating a chop shop, now face additional charges, including racketeering, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said Friday.

By JOHN CHAMBLISSTHE LEDGER

AUBURNDALE | The owner of an Auburndale septic tank business and her son, who were arrested in December for operating a chop shop, now face additional charges, including racketeering, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said Friday.

Judd said the chop shop, which was run by Brent Burgett, 29, of Auburndale, was one of the largest that detectives have seen in years.

"This is a place where lots of property goes after it was stolen," Judd said.

The chop shop was on two acres of property at the septic business called A-one Quality Services at 122 Dairy Road between Lakes Ariana and Mariana.

Aleta Burgett, 59, of Winter Haven, is Brent's mother. Judd said she knew about the operation while she ran the septic tank business.

Deputies first arrived at the business in December after they received a tip that the business was being used to sell drugs in exchange for firearms.

Some of the property discovered included:

A stolen Dodge truck found disassembled and in the process of being painted to disguise the truck.

Two Polaris ATVs

A diesel generator

Numerous flat-screen televisions

On Friday, Judd talked about the increased charges and additional people who have been arrested. A total of 89 charges were filed against 14 people. In all, detectives charged 10 with racketeering, a felony that carries a maximum of 30 years.

He said the chop shop had been in operation since 2004.

The Burgetts already were charged with owning/operating a chop shop, burglary, grand theft, possession of a motor vehicle with an altered vehicle identification number and conspiracy. They were out on bail when they were arrested early Friday.

Other operators at the chop shop arrested were:

Danny Cleveland, 24, of Auburndale. Judd said Cleveland was involved in nine burglaries and grand thefts. He was charged with racketeering, two counts of grand theft of a firearm, four counts of grand theft, three counts of burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of dealing in stolen property and three counts of criminal conspiracy.

Alexander Bove, 26, of Winter Haven. Detectives said that Bove disassembled stolen vehicles at the direction of Burgett. He was charged with racketeering.

Charlie Pickren, 24, of Polk City. Pickren set up burglaries and thefts for the group, detectives said. He was charged with racketeering, burglary of a structure and grand theft.

Gerald Burdine, 27, of Lakeland. Burdine was charged with racketeering, two counts of burglary, grand theft and grand theft auto.

Those charged who were already in jail for other crimes and for crimes related to the investigation were Calon Johnson, Polk City; Bruce Durham, Polk City, and Adam Sprague, Haines City.